Outlaw Music from Nick Cave & Warren Ellis

Perhaps no other name is as instantly recognizable in the American west folklore as that of the outlaw Jesse James. His name is the stuff of legends and is sure to survive as long as the image of the wild west cowboy. Numerous films have been made to secure his place in our cultural memory, the latest being The Assassination Of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford.

The film was directed by Andrew Dominik (who also directed the cult classic Chopper in 2000) and stars Brad Pitt as the celebrated outlaw. And although I have not seen the film yet myself, I have seen reviews that suggest this is the best role of his career. The screenplay is based on the Ron Hansen novel of the same title and illustrates the demise of James at the hands of one of his gang members, Robert Ford. Besides starring Pitt, also present are Sam Shepard, Robert Duvall, Sam Rockwell and Mary-Louise Parker.

One might anticipate that the soundtrack for such a distinctly western film might be a Hi-yo twangy affair (unless Ennio Morricone's name was mentioned), but the producers have made a choice almost as good: Nick Cave and Warren Ellis. The pair have put together an instrumental album to accompany the film that avoids any stereotypical western flair and instead offers a dark, brooding, atmospheric album that seems perfectly suited for its subject matter. It's available now digitally, and will be able to purchase physically February 5th of next year (on which date the film was also be available on DVD).



stream Nick Cave & Warren Ellis - Moving On (Real Audio / Windows Audio) : The Assassination Of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford

stream Nick Cave & Warren Ellis - Cowgirl (Real Audio / Windows Audio) : The Assassination Of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford

Visit the film's official website and watch the trailer.

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